Fiber optic cassettes and splice modules

Abstract

A fiber optic cassette includes a cassette body, the cassette body extending along a longitudinal axis between a front and a rear, extending along a lateral axis between a first side and a second side, and extending along a transverse axis between a bottom and a top. The fiber optic cassette further includes a plurality of fiber optic adapter apertures defined at the front of the cassette body. The fiber optic cassette further includes a side channel defined at the first side of the cassette body, the side channel including an entry aperture spaced from the rear of the cassette body along the longitudinal axis. The fiber optic cassette further includes a splice module receptacle defined in the cassette body.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic cassette defining a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis, the fiber optic cassette comprising:
 a cassette body, the cassette body extending along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear, extending along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side, and extending along the transverse axis between a bottom and a top, the cassette body comprising a side channel formed at the first side, the side channel configured to receive an insert module removably insertable into the side channel; 
 a plurality of fiber optic adapter apertures defined at the front of the cassette body; and 
 a cover, the cover removably connectable to the cassette body, wherein the cover comprises a cover body extending along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear, and wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of tabs extending from the front along the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of tabs removably insertable into one of the plurality of fiber optic adapter apertures along the longitudinal axis when the cover is removably connected to the cassette body. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a splice module removably insertable into the cassette body. 
 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 2 , wherein the splice module comprises a holder base, a holder cover, and a splice insert. 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 3 , wherein the splice insert is positionable between the holder base and the holder cover. 
     
     
       5. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 4 , wherein the holder cover is removably connectable to the holder base. 
     
     
       6. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 2 , wherein the splice module comprises a splice insert, the splice insert comprising an insert body comprising a first side and an opposing second side, the insert body defining a plurality of first channels on the first side and a second channel on the second side. 
     
     
       7. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 6 , the second channel having a maximum width which is greater than a maximum width of any of the plurality of first channels. 
     
     
       8. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 6 , wherein the second channel is positioned between a first portion of the plurality of first channels and a second portion of the plurality of first channels in the linear array. 
     
     
       9. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of first channels comprises a plurality of channel sections. 
     
     
       10. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 1 , wherein the insert module is removably insertable into an intermediate portion of the side channel defined at the first side of the cassette body. 
     
     
       11. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 1 , wherein a channel is defined in the insert module, the channel comprising a plurality of channel sections. 
     
     
       12. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 11 , wherein the cover further comprises a latch proximate the rear, the latch comprising a step which contacts the cassette body when the cover is removably connected to the cassette body. 
     
     
       13. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 11 , wherein the cassette body comprises at least one tab disposed at the first side and at the second side, wherein the cover comprises a cover body extending along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side, wherein the cover further comprises at least one tab disposed at the first side of the cover and the second side of the cover, each of the at least one tab of the cover defining a slot, and wherein the tabs of the cassette body are removably insertable into the slots of the cover when the cover is removably connected to the cassette body. 
     
     
       14. A fiber optic cassette defining a mutually orthogonal coordinate system having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis, the fiber optic cassette comprising:
 a cassette body, the cassette body extending along the longitudinal axis between a front and a rear, extending along the lateral axis between a first side and a second side, and extending along the transverse axis between a bottom and a top, wherein a side channel is defined at the first side of the cassette body from an entry aperture to an exit aperture, the entry aperture providing entry to the side channel from exterior of the cassette body, the exit aperture providing entry to an interior of the cassette body; 
 an insert module removably insertable into the side channel at the cassette body; and 
 a splice module removably insertable into the cassette body, the splice module comprising a splice insert comprising an insert body, the insert body comprising a first side and an opposing second side, the insert body defining a plurality of first channels on the first side and a second channel on the second side, the second channel having a maximum width which is greater than a maximum width of any of the plurality of first channels. 
 
     
     
       15. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 14 , wherein the splice module comprises a holder base and a holder cover, the splice insert positionable between the holder base and the holder cover. 
     
     
       16. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 15 , wherein the holder cover is removably connectable to the holder base. 
     
     
       17. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of first channels and the second channel are aligned in a linear array. 
     
     
       18. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 17 , wherein the second channel is positioned between a first portion of the plurality of first channels and a second portion of the plurality of first channels in the linear array. 
     
     
       19. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 14 , wherein the cassette body forms a splice module receptacle, and wherein the splice module is removably insertable into the splice module receptacle. 
     
     
       20. The fiber optic cassette of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of first channels comprises a plurality of channel sections.